Relay with coated plunger



Dec. 21, 1965 c. H. FLUDER ETAL 3,225,159

RELAY WITH COATED PLUNGER Filed Aug. 5, 1963 INVENTORS CHESTER l-l.FLUDER HARRY L. MYRENT MATTH W R HE EY BY 1L (Q:

AT TORNEY United States Patent 3,225,159 RELAY WITH COATED PLUNGERChester H. Fluder, Wheeling, Harry L. Myrent, Wilmette, and Matthew R.Heeney, Niles, Ill., assignors to Vapor Corporation, Chicago, Ill., acorporation of Delaware Filed Aug. 5, 1963, Ser. No. 299,935 4 Claims.(Cl. 200-87) This invention relates in general to a relay, and moreparticularly to a relay having a solenoid with a coated plunger, andstill more particularly to a relay having a solenoid with a nylon coatedplunger.

The relay of the present invention is solenoid actuated and includesmany features which enhance its life and decrease its maintenance.Particularly, the moving parts are so constructed and arranged as toreduce their wear and the wear of stationary parts in contact therewith.The plunger of the solenoid in the relay of the present invention, beinga part that is subjected to substantial Wear, is preferably coated withnylon but may be coated with any other suitable substitute for thepurpose of enhancing the life of the solenoid and also reducing the costof construction.

Heretofore, it was necessary to grind the plunger, specially plate it,and also employ special bearings against which the plunger would engage.Further, a brass shader was necessary on the mating face of the plungerin order to control relay dropout.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to eliminate theabove enumerated difficulties and provide a new and improved relay.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a solenoidactuated relay having a plunger coated to enhance the life of the relayand reduce maintenance and construction costs.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a solenoidactuated relay having a nylon coated plunger.

Another object of this invention is to provide a solenoid actuated relayhaving a nylon coated plunger which eliminates the necessity of grindingand plating of the plunger in order to reduce wear and provide a betterbearing surface.

Still another object of this invention is in the provision of a solenoidactuated relay having a nylon coated plunger which eliminates thenecessity of providing special bearings and a brass shader on the matingface of the plunger.

A further object of the invention is in the provision of a solenoidactuated relay having a nylon coated plunger, wherein frictional wear isreduced.

Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be apparentfrom the following detailed disclosure, taken in conjunction with theaccompanying sheet of drawing, wherein like reference numerals refer tolike parts, in which:

FIG. 1 is an axial sectional view taken through the relay of the presentinvention, showing some parts in full view for purposes of clarity; and

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the solenoid plunger of the presentinvention.

Referring now to the drawings, the relay of the present inventionincludes generally a solenoid for operating an upper contact assembly 11and a lower contact assembly 12.

The solenoid 10 includes a coil 13 having a core or spool 14 ofinsulating material receiving windings 15. The coil 13 is receivedbetween upper and lower bars 16 and 17 of a U-shaped frame 18 that isconstructed of magnetic material. A spring washer 19 is inserted betweenthe upper end of the coil and the upper bar 16 in order to hold itagainst axial movement between the upper and lower bars. A bracket 18ais secured to the frame 18 and serves to mount the relay assembly wheredesired. The coil 13 is provided with an axial bore 20 that aligns withaxial bores 21 and 22 of the upper and lower bars 16 and 17 of the frame18. An enlarged bore 23 is provided in the upper bar 16 and coacts withthe bore 21 to define therebetween a shoulder 24.

An elongated taube 25 of nonmagnetic material is received within thebore 20 of the coil 13, and has secured at its upper end a plug orplunger stop 26 of magnetic material. The plunger stop 26 is providedwith an annular flange 27 sized to engage the shoulder 24 in the upperbar 16 and thereby prevent downward movement of the stop and tubethrough the coil 13. The tube 25 is received over the lower end of theplunger stop and along a diametrically reduced portion, and is securedto the stop by an annular indent 28 engaging in an annular groove on thestop. An axial bore extends through the stop 26 and receives a nylon orsuitable plastic sleeve 29, and the lower end of the stop is providedwith a conical face 30. V

A generally cylindrical plunger 31 of magnetic material is slidablyreceived in the tube 25 and adapted to abut against the conical face 30when the solenoid 10 is energized. Thus, the upper end of the plunger asdesignated by the numeral 32 is conical to mate with the conical face 30of the plunger stop. In order to reduce Wear on the plunger 31 and toreduce constructional costs, it is coated or clad with a suitableplastic material such as nylon as indicated by the numeral 33. Thus, thenylon coating 33 engages the tube 25 during operation of the solenoid10.

An axial bore 34 extends through the plunger 31 to a threaded portion35, the latter of which receives the threaded end 36 of a post 37 ofnonmagnetic material. The post 37 includes a slightly larger cylindricalportion 38 that is slidably received and extends through the nyloninsert 29 of the plunger stop 26, and terminates at its upper end with ahead 39.

A lower insulating block 40 is secured by a plurality of screws 41 tothe upper bar 16 of the frame 18 and includes a bore 42 through whichthe upper end of the post 37 extends. An upper insulating block 43 ismounted in spaced relation from the lower insulating block 40 and isprovided with a plurality of contacts 44, each of which is electricallyconnected to terminal lugs 45. The contacts 44 are constructed ofelectrically conductive nonmagnetic material.

Bridge contacts 46 are resiliently mounted on a contact carrier 47 andmovable toward and away from the fixed contacts 44. Each bridge contact46 includes an electrically conductive nonmagnetic bar 48 extendingtransversely through the upper section 49 of the carrier 47. Theopposite ends of the bar 48 are bent downwardly at 50 and contact pads51 are provided to engage the fixed contacts 44. The carrier 47 alsoincludes a lower section 52 fitting with the upper section 49 and havinga recess 53 for receiving a contact support bar 54. A screw 55 extendsthrough the upper and lower sections of the carrier and the support barand threadedly engages in the head 39 of the post 37 to lock thesections and support bar together and to the post 37 so that the bridgecontacts 46 move with the post 37 and the plunger 31 of the solenoid 10.A spring 56 is bottomed at its upper end in a recess 57 of the upperinsulating block 43 and at its lower end in a recess formed in the upperface of the upper carrier section 49. Thus, a constant force is urged todrive the contact carrier and plunger downwardly and such will do sowhen the solenoid 10 is not energized. Upon energization of the solenoid10, the force of the spring 56 is overcome to drive the contact carrier47 upwardly so that the bridge contacts 46 engage the fixed contacts 44.

The lower contact assembly 12 includes parallel opposed contact supports58 and 59 of insulating material mounted on the lower bar 17 of theU-shaped frame 18. Each support carries a plurality of double facedfixed contacts 60 of electrically conductive nonmagnetic material. Lugs61 are provided for connection to electrical conductors. The contacts 60and lugs 61 are integral and are molded in the contact supports 58 and59. A movable contact carrier 62 is arranged between the contactsupports 58 and 59. This contact carrier is also constructed ofinsulating material and includes opposed ears 63 for mounting contactcarrier pins 64. Each pin is capable of receiving a bridging contactsuch as indicated by the numeral '65 that is adapted to engage a pair ofspaced fixed contacts 60. The bridging contact 65 is movable along thepin 64 but biased toward the ear 63 by means of a spring 66 that is heldon the pin by a retaining clip 67.

The contact carrier 62 is secured to the lower end of the post 37 bymeans of a threaded bolt 68 having a hex head 69. A tapped bore isprovided in the hex head 69 to receive the threaded end 36 of the postand secure the head against the lower end of the plunger 31. A bore 70is provided in the contact carrier 62 for receiving the threaded bolt68. Nuts 71 and 72 are provided at opposite sides of the contact carrier62 and in engagement It will be understood that modifications andvariations may be effected without departing from the scope of the novelconcepts of the present invention, but it is underhole and having aplunger stop of magnetically permeable material mounted therein at oneend, a plunger of magnetically permeable material slidably received insaid tubular member and having a plunger face adapted to abut againstsaid plug when the coil is energized, said plunger having a coating ofnylon completely thereover including said plunger face, whereby thecoating on said plunger face controls the drop out of the relay and thecoating of the plunger otherwise reduces frictional wear, and contactmeans operated by said plunger.

2. A relay as defined in claim 1, and a post secured to the plunger andextending from opposite ends, one end of said post extending throughsaid plunger stop, a nylon sleeve bearing in said plunger stop throughwhich the post slides, and said contact means being connected to saidpost.

3. A relay as defined in claim 2, wherein said contact means includesupper and lower contact assemblies, each contact assembly having spacedcontacts, a contact carrier having bridge contacts mounted thereon andadapted to engage the fixed contacts, and means connecting each carrierto said post.

4. A relay as defined in claim 2, wherein said contact means includesupper and lower contact assemblies, said upper contact assemblyincluding a group of permanently fixed contacts arranged in pairs on asupport of insulating material, said support extending perpendicular tosaid post, a group of movable contacts adapted to bridge selected pairsof said fixed contacts, a carrier of insulating material for saidmovable contacts movable toward and away from said support, meansconnecting said carrier to said plunger post, a spring bottomed on saidsupport at one end and on said carrier at the other end for urging saidcarrier and plunger post in one direction during deenergization of saidcoil, said lower contact assembly including a group of permanently fixedcontacts arranged in pairs upon a pair of oppositely disposed supportsof insulating material and in a plane perpendicular to said post, agroup of movable contacts adapted to bridge selected pairs of said fixedcontacts, a carrier of insulating material for said movable contactspositioned between said oppositely disposed supports and movable betweenupper and lower positions, and means connecting said lower carrier tosaid plunger post.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,951,133 8/1960Davies et al. 200-lll X 2,985,802 5/1961 Drenning 317l91 3,166,6541/1965 Mitchell 200112 FOREIGN PATENTS 925,132 5/1963 Great Britain.

BERNARD A. GILHEANY, Primary Examiner.

J. I. BAKER, Assistant Examiner.

1. A RELAY COMPRISING, A COIL HAVING A HOLE EXTENDING THERETHROUGH, AFRAME RECEIVING SAID COIL, A TUBULAR MEMBER OF NONMAGNETIC MATERIALEXTENDING THROUGH SAID COIL HOLE AND HAVING A PLUNGER STOP OFMAGNETICALLY PERMEABLE MATEIAL MOUNTED THEREIN AT ONE END, A PLUNGER OFMAGNETICALLY PERMEABLE MATERIAL SLIDABLY RECEIVED IN SAID TUBULAR MEMBERAND HAVING A PLUNGER FACE ADAPTED TO ABUT AGAINST SAID PLUG WHEN THECOIL IS ENERGIZED, SAID PLUNGER HAVING A COATING OF NYLON COMPLETELYTHEREOVER